There is a common need to attach a retention means such as a rope or bungee cord to a tarp in order to secure it in place, such as over a load on a trailer of a truck or over the top of a tractor or boat to protect it from the elements.
Possibly the most common attachment means for such a tarp are grommets which are installed through the tarp material. Grommets can, however, present a hazard to damaging the fine finish of a covered item, such as paint on an automobile, and are subject to tearing out. And, grommets may or may not be pre-placed at the best points of securing a tarp. Further, not all tarps are provided with grommets, and installing a grommet by an end-user requires special tools and supplies.
There is a wide variety of tarp clamps which essentially pinch or clip onto an edge of a tarp. Most are constructed of plastic, metal, or a combination of plastic and metal, and have some sort of means for opening the clamp, and then reclosing the clamp after the tarp or sheet material has been received into its clamping jaws. These types of devices are relatively inexpensive, can be positioned almost anywhere along the edge of a tarp as needed, and can be easily removed and re-used without a need for special tools or supplies.